Chapter 146: The Seeker and the Bookshelf

Luge looked at the uneven soil and Old Lun Se's expression with his big dog mouth cracked open, and understood what had happened.

The two people paused for a moment.

Luge had been observing Old Lun Se's expression changes; this good uncle of his seemed to be trembling with a big dog face and had already somewhat retreated. Obviously, the other party being able to discover his arrangement made him not dare to make a decision rashly.

"Uncle Lun Se, should we go around here?" Luge did not want to continue hesitating.

"I'm thinking about how the guy inside discovered that place," Old Lun Se said. "No one is usually there, the magic array hasn't been activated, there would be no spell waves from replacing magic stones. It's just a dead object buried underground."

"Perhaps it's a certain powerful Wizard?" Luge said.

Old Lun Se's huge dog eyes lifted their drooping eyelids and glared at him.

Suddenly, the loose soil over there split to both sides, the splitting angle precisely facing the uncle and nephew duo.

The meaning couldn't be more obvious.

Luge looked at Old Lun Se; the old dog's big mouth twitched, and he walked forward first.

Luge noticed that the split soil wasn't as clean and neat as imagined. When they got close, Old Lun Se still needed to use that miraculous chain to clear it away to reveal the stone house entrance. Perhaps the person inside wasn't as powerful as they had imagined during their hesitation.

The stone house wasn't large; inside it was divided into two small compartments.

A young man was sitting in a corner of the room, wearing a friendly smile, looking at the entering uncle and nephew duo.

"You two need not worry. I still have to thank you," the man raised a finger beside him. "It seems you two are the owners here."

Luge saw the man's action and couldn't help but have his eyelid jump.

He saw that person slowly stretch out a finger, pointing to the position beside him. Immediately a phantom image emerged, gradually forming a complex pattern.

Sanction Wizard? Luge's heart inexplicably skipped half a beat.

But looking more carefully, he discovered this pattern was not the same as the one he saw last time. This complex pattern was very simple in the middle part — a clear book, and in an open state. He absolutely would not mistake it.

"Your Excellency is... a Seeker?" Old Lun Se's voice was gentle, even bowing to greet the man.

Luge watched blankly from the side and also followed Old Lun Se in saluting without any hesitation.

"Knowledge Sanctuary, Apprentice Seeker, Green, greets you two," the man smiled humbly, pointing to the side. "It's them. They guided me to find this place."

The two people also reported their names one after another.

Old Lun Se saw this and revealed a suddenly-realized expression, and also laughed. He seemed satisfied with his arrangement again.

Luge looked at where the man pointed. There, among the few objects in this crude room, was a small bookshelf. A few books were placed crookedly on it. The small bookshelf didn't even have one layer fully filled.

Old Lun Se said a word, walked to the side, took out magic stones and began placing them. On the walls and in some inconspicuous hollows in the corners, each had its own use. Some could activate a soundproof magic array, some could gather the soil above. Under his operation, the gathering was better and more natural than what that man called Green had done before.

Luge came to Old Lun Se's side, asking curiously here and there.

He finally found a chance to voice the doubt that had been scratching in his heart for a good while: "Uncle, what is a Seeker?"

The old dog's big head shook. He couldn't help rolling his eyes at him, as if stunned by his ignorance: "How do you understand nothing? The orthodox, most rigorous spellbooks you borrowed and read when learning spells — the ones that let you feel spiritual power, feel the author's intent — those were made by them. Seekers are all relatively pure people. Wherever they go they receive courteous treatment..."

Hearing this, Luge couldn't help but feel solemn respect, and looked toward the man reading in the corner.

That man named Green heard the two's conversation, smiled, closed the book in his hand, and spoke: "Master Lun Se overpraises. One of the conditions for joining the Knowledge Sanctuary is that we are not selfless devotees. Everything we do is out of love for the world's spells. You obtaining our results equally requires equivalent exchange. Also, one more point to correct: spellbooks indeed come from the Knowledge Sanctuary, but are handled by Transcribers. Seekers only responsible for traveling the world, seeking unrecorded spells..."

Listening to his explanation, Luge became even more interested. He immediately sat over, looking for a topic to chat about.

Old Lun Se also took out pre-prepared food, signaling the three to enjoy together.

Luge looked at Green and suddenly gave birth to a yearning. He had always wanted to join a powerful organization but had some reservations. Now hearing about this Knowledge Sanctuary, he discovered that although it differed somewhat from the organization he had previously imagined, in some aspects it exceeded his expectations.

"Master Green, may I ask how you originally joined the Knowledge Sanctuary?" Luge poured him the fine wine Old Lun Se had taken out, said to cost many magic stones a bottle.

A cup poured full directly. Usually when Luge saw Old Lun Se drink, he only drank half a cup.

"That was just an accident, and the process wasn't too pleasant." Green spoke, not refusing the two's kindness.

"Oh, sorry." Luge said.

Green smiled signaling it was fine, then continued: "Before joining the Knowledge Sanctuary, I had already been traveling for many years, to find a spell, and also to temper myself. I took finding that spell as my lifelong goal. Then I met my Mentor, a true Seeker. He was pursuing a Black Wizard, wanting to obtain a certain spell in that person's hands..."

"Anyway, in the end I became an Apprentice Seeker. As long as I find three more unrecorded spells, I can shed the apprentice status." Green smiled gently.

Suddenly, a vibration came from above. The three people simultaneously looked up.

Luge subconsciously held his breath, but then remembered there was a soundproof magic array here, so he didn't need to be so cautious.

After a good while with no further abnormality discovered, the three relaxed.

Probably just an underground beast passing by, Luge thought.

"A spell that could make Master Green vow a lifetime to pursue it must surely be very powerful." Luge blinked, trying to find the topic again.

Green shook his head.

"That is an unranked spell even rarer than composite spells. I read about its legend in a book, and was fascinated then. It's not particularly powerful. Its name is also very strange. Legend says a powerful wizard who loved reading created this spell. In his youth, poor and suffering, he loved reading. In his dilapidated hometown town sat a small library that shouldn't have existed. That was his childhood treasury. Until a great fire destroyed that place, leaving an ineradicable regret in his heart. So later he created this unranked spell — Door and Bookshelf."

Luge secretly glanced at Green. It seemed Green was very willing to share these stories with people.

"Legend says when that spell is cast it can construct a door. Behind the door, based on the caster's mastered supernatural knowledge and read supernatural books, a bookshelf space will be constructed. Those who enter won't be harmed. Theoretically, as long as you don't starve yourself to death, you can read books there for a lifetime. A spell with absolutely no lethality. For an entrant to leave immediately is also very simple: just place a book you brought with you on the bookshelf — a real book, and it cannot be completely identical to books the bookshelf space already possesses — and you can leave." Green spoke slowly.

Luge blinked. This so-called non-lethal spell didn't seem as peaceful as it looked.

Green smiled looking over, saying: "This standard isn't harsh. It's a friendly spell. For example, research books on the same spell — as long as the brought book has undergone a little reform and research, it counts as a different book. And if the entrant happens to have brought no books but still wants to leave the bookshelf space, then don't be anxious. Just seriously finish reading a book there — one you haven't read before — and you can depart."

Luge looked at Green's smile, listening to his leisurely description, and couldn't help but sigh at this bizarre spell.

Friendly? Very friendly. At least to someone like him, very friendly. He always had the habit of carrying food on him. Even finishing a book might not make him leave. He might still want to stay inside for more days.

But, what if it wasn't him, this Apprentice?

Some old-school wizards who have long read extensively and lived over a thousand years — if they happen to have no books on hand, for example if their storage pouch is destroyed.

Wouldn't they be trapped there forever? Because the books there are very likely ones those old wizards have already read. That would be equivalent to both methods of getting out being blocked.

(Chapter End)